


Echo

by sciencefictioness



Series: Legacy [10]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst With A(n eventual) Happy Ending, BDSM, Dom/sub, Implied Jesse/Gabriel, M/M, Mentions of Jesse/Hanzo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 01:01:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17415965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sciencefictioness/pseuds/sciencefictioness
Summary: Gabriel swallowed around the tightness in his throat. His gaze slid over to Jesse, and Gabriel was grateful for the crowd.  For the dim lights, and the noise, and the bustle.For the chance to stare without being seen in turn.  His eyes caught on Jesse’s fingers, on his mouth, on the metal of his prosthetic.Scars Gabriel couldn’t name.  Parts of Jesse he’d never touched.Jesse had needed him, and Gabriel had been so far away.Gabriel watched as Jesse checked his phone and stood, disappearing into the back rooms.  They sat there in silence for a long while, Genji’s lids heavy, bells chiming as he nudged them back and forth with his fingertips.“I can’t find the middle ground,” Gabriel said finally.  “There’s so much shit I need to tell him but it’s.... It’s a lot to put on him, especially right now.  Your brother and Jesse deserve a chance to feel things out between them without me fucking that up.”Jesse had been through enough.Hanzohad been through enough— things that Gabriel couldn’t even fathom.Things that kept him awake at night, holding Genji in arms as he shook, shook, shook.





	Echo

**Author's Note:**

> This piece does not stand on its own, and is best read after chapter thirteen of Legacy. If you read Legacy, but are not a multishipper where Jesse and Hanzo are concerned, this piece is probably Not For You. Any and all side fics of Legacy are not strictly mchanzo, and will imply/include other pairings involving Jesse, and eventually Hanzo as well. 
> 
> Also, someone brought it to my attention that this work will, in fact, tip the series as a whole over 100k <3 HOLY SHIT. I wanted to thank you guys who slog through every part I put up, y'all are the real heroes.

The whiskey burned on the way down his throat.  It settled warm his stomach, making everything soft around the edges, and Gabriel leaned into the feeling.  He needed his edges soft, right then. Needed the warmth, and the haze.  Needed something to ease the sting of the next hour or so; to dull the wound he was chasing, gentle the knife he was standing to take.  All his self-preservation fell away in moments like this, when he could use it the most.

 

Gabriel was good at hurting himself, at least when it came to Jesse.

 

He signaled the bartender for a third glass, a vague sense of guilt creeping up uninvited; he could already hear Jack chiding him. 

 

_ Why do you keep doing this, Gabriel?  _

 

It wasn’t something he did on purpose; Gabriel just didn’t know how to stop.  

 

He took his drink with a nod to the server and turned towards VIP only to freeze in place.

 

Genji was waiting for him, cheeks flushed like he’d just come in out of the cold, dressed in one of Jack’s old hoodies.  Faded navy, the fabric worn thin and fraying at the edges. It didn’t do much to keep anyone warm, but it smelled like Jack’s cologne no matter how much they washed it, which made it one of Genji’s favorites.  He shoved his hands deep into the pockets, smiling that smile Gabriel hated.

 

The one he wore when he was trying to push through something.  

 

When he was fragile like glass, and ready to break.

 

“You too?”  Gabriel asked, and Genji shrugged.  

 

“I need to be here.  Just in case.”

 

In case something happened with Hanzo and his dragons.  Genji didn’t say it, but the implication was there, and Gabriel didn’t call him out on the lie.

 

Genji would have been there anyway, dragons or no. 

 

He was wearing a day collar, along with a set of temple bells around his neck; silver and delicate, chiming softly when he moved, and Gabriel could only hear them because he was used to the sound.  That Genji had on both at once was more telling than he’d probably like, and Gabriel inclined his head towards VIP, beckoning him closer.

 

“C’mon then,” Gabriel said, reaching out with the confidence of someone who knew they wouldn’t be denied.

 

Genji tucked himself under his arm, forcing Gabriel to take some of his weight, and they headed into VIP together.  They sat at a little table by the juice bar, Genji’s head pillowed on his arms like teenager trying to sleep in class, face tilted towards Gabe.

 

“I don’t know why you don’t just text him,” he mumbled, eyes half closed as Gabriel pet him.  “He said it was okay.”

 

Gabriel rubbed Genji’s hair between his fingers.  Brushed it away from Genji’s forehead, black roots peeking out next to his scalp.  More than Genji would usually allow. 

 

He was fraying a little at the edges, too, worn thin from pretending he was fine.  

 

It was like looking into a mirror, and Gabriel sank his fingers deeper into Genji’s hair.  

 

“I don’t know how.  Everything I want to say is… either too much, or not enough.”  

 

Gabriel had typed out dozens of messages to Jesse, ranging from meaningless pleasantries to agonizing honesty.

 

_ Hey, how are you, how’s your day. _

 

_ I miss you.  I still love you. _

 

_ I never stopped. _

 

_ I’m sorry. _

 

Things Jesse didn’t want to hear anymore.

 

Things he might never want to hear again.

 

Genji leaned into Gabe’s touch, toying with the bells at his throat, his nail polish chipped along the tips where he’d been picking at it.  He rolled his eyes, sighing through his nose and gesturing towards the bar where Jesse was talking to Lena. 

 

“Just send him the same dumb shit you send me.”

 

“The dumb shit I send you is retaliatory,” Gabe shot back, the tone at odds with the way he was still sifting his fingers through Genji’s hair, nosing at his temple, kissing his cheek.  Genji didn’t take the bait, for once; just stayed quiet, waiting and Gabriel swallowed around the tightness in his throat. His gaze slid over to Jesse, and Gabriel was grateful for the crowd.  For the dim lights, and the noise, and the bustle.

 

For the chance to stare without being seen in turn.  His eyes caught on Jesse’s fingers, on his mouth, on the metal of his prosthetic.

 

Scars Gabriel couldn’t name.  Parts of Jesse he’d never touched.  

 

Jesse had needed him, and Gabriel had been so far away.

 

Gabriel watched as Jesse checked his phone and stood, disappearing into the back rooms.  They sat there in silence for a long while, Genji’s lids heavy, bells chiming as he nudged them back and forth with his fingertips.

 

“I can’t find the middle ground,” Gabriel said finally.  “There’s so much shit I need to tell him but it’s.... It’s a lot to put on him, especially right now.  Your brother and Jesse deserve a chance to feel things out between them without me fucking that up.”

 

Jesse had been through enough.

 

_ Hanzo  _ had been through enough— things that Gabriel couldn’t even fathom.

 

Things that kept him awake at night, holding Genji in his arms as he shook, shook, shook.

 

“You don’t have to do everything at once.”  Genji tilted his head towards the stage where the lights had flared, movement drawing the attention of the crowd.  “Sometimes you have to take things slow.”

 

Jesse led Hanzo up the stairs, a black and gold blindfold over his eyes; steps precise, Jesse’s hand under his elbow.  They moved to the center of the stage, Jesse never letting go of Hanzo, every touch careful. Gentle. 

 

Reverent.

 

“Sometimes you have to take what you can get, and learn how to be happy with it.”

 

A drop of water in the desert.  A candle in the dark.

 

Zenyatta’s words coming out of Genji’s mouth, as they so often did; Genji sounded lost, a thousand miles away.  Gabriel kept stroking through his hair, tugging a little with every pass, the scent of Jack’s cologne drifting between them.  

 

Jesse glanced out over the crowd, smile faltering when he caught sight of Gabriel.  It wasn’t anger on his face, or even surprise. Apologetic, maybe.

 

Like he was  _ sorry,  _ and then Gabriel nodded, and Jesse looked away.

 

He watched Jesse kiss Hanzo, something soft and well-tread that made Gabriel’s chest hurt.  Watched him wrap Hanzo up in ropes, hands never hesitating, harness taking shape bit by bit.  Listened to him the speak, even if he didn’t pay attention to the words; it didn’t matter. Just the sound of his voice was enough.  

 

The knowledge that he was close, and safe.  

 

That Gabriel was allowed to look, if only for a while.

 

He got lost in the way Jesse moved, the flow of it hypnotic, until a muted burst of color drew his gaze. Gabriel looked over to find Genji’s eyes lit up faintly green, a tear tracking down his cheek, except Genji didn’t seem to be aware of it.  He stared forward, blank faced, made of stone.

 

“Genji,” Gabriel said softly, thumb swiping at his cheek, “baby.”

 

Genji sat up.  He shrugged Gabriel’s touch off, blinking the light from his eyes and sniffing once, hard.  Pawed at his face, and then shoved his hands into his pockets again, leaning back into his chair.

 

“‘m sorry,” he said, and Gabriel put his arm around him again, and tugged him close.

 

“Don’t be.”

 

Fuck knows Gabriel was sorry enough for them both.

 

A few minutes passed like that, the two of them quiet.  Watching too keenly.

 

Leaning into the ache, but Genji’s eyes stayed dark, and Gabriel’s stayed dry, and everything was fine.

 

-

 

Gabriel wasn’t sure how long Jack had been standing there when they finally noticed him.  Still in a suit from the dinner he’d been forced to attend with their colleagues, jacket hanging over one arm.  He watched Genji with unchecked worry written across his face, but when Jack’s gaze shifted over to him his expression hardened some.  Not an accusation, exactly. Weary resignation.

 

Wondering how long Gabriel was going to keep retracing the same steps over and over.

 

_ As many times as you’ll let me.   _ Except that wasn’t true anymore.  Gabriel had Jesse’s number in his phone now, had his permission to call.  To move forward. To try.

 

_ We can be something. _

 

They had to be, whether Jesse liked it or not.  

 

He’d always be something to Gabriel.

 

“Let’s go home, yeah?”  Jack asked, holding his jacket out for Genji to slip on as they both staggered to their feet.  

 

Jack held Genji’s hand, and squeezed Gabriel’s arm, and they headed out into the night.

 

-

 

He sent the message through right after tapping it out on his screen, not giving himself time to second guess.

 

_ Hope I wasn’t intruding tonight.  Your boy did good.  _

 

It wasn’t flattery, or bullshit.  Gabriel didn’t hold anything against Hanzo.  Couldn’t, not when he hadn’t done anything wrong.  Just got his hands on Jesse, and held on tight; Gabriel of all people couldn’t blame him for that, and he knew better than anyone that love wasn’t some finite, scant thing.  Even if things didn’t work out between Jesse and him, it wouldn’t be Hanzo’s fault.

 

If blame was to be laid it would be at Gabriel’s feet, just like always.

 

Jesse didn’t answer him right away, but Gabriel didn’t really expect him to right then.  He’d just done a scene with his sub; he’d likely be at home, taking care of Hanzo.

 

Gabriel had fucked up a lot of things, but he’d taught Jesse right, and Gabriel always took good care of his boys.

 

_ Almost always,  _ something dark and ruthless whispered in his thoughts.  

 

Gabriel closed his eyes, and exhaled, and let it go.

 

Genji was snoring softly when Gabriel crawled into bed behind him, and the rhythm of it lulled him to sleep.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Tell me nice things, and feel free to come yell about dumb video game protagonists on [twitter](https://twitter.com/scifictioness?lang=en) as well.


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